A Hufflepuff
by coconutmango
Summary: A Hufflepuff girl is caught after curfew by Head Boy Tom Riddle.


CHAPTER 1

Shia's hair feels like it's about to be ripped off as she feels it being fisted backwards, at an excruciating rate. She had immediately reacted and had her wand jabbed into her attackers neck, which she hoped was painful enough to cause bleeding. She had briefly felt the warmth of another body behind her before it was too late. Her arm protested as it was in an uncomfortable position because of the awkward angle of it over her head creating an uncomfortable strain, but never the less she wasn't going to back down without some attempt at defense. It was too dark to see who the culprit was, which made it a lot more terrifying to her. Thoughts of her body lying lifeless and cold where no one could find her made her palms sweat and her chest heavy. She could tell by the broad shoulders, the firm wall of muscle, the tall length of height behind her and the strong scent of sandalwood and masculine musk that it was likely to be someone older and maybe in her year.

She just hoped it wasn't any of Grindewald's minions. The idea of them breaching Hogwarts protective barriers caused a different kind of panic in her chest. The chance of her also being caught was the last thing she expected at this time. She had been on so many silent and discreet explorations that the possibility of her being founded had been pushed at the back of her mind, and now she was going to face the consequence. She had even thought herself so good since she had memorized Tom Riddle's routine patrol. She didn't want the head boy to catch her as she could imagine he wouldn't hesitate to deduct an absurd amount of points. Also not to mention the fact that he could be downright terrifying despite having his mask of a handsome face.

She had seen the way his little followers treated him and not to mention his fan club of fawning females. She had to admit that she was one of them at one point earlier during her years but that all changed later on.

Tom Riddle had the Hogwarts populace captivated by his charisma and who wouldn't be charmed by him? He excluded an aura more refined than that of his fellow slytherin circle and had all the traits of a desirable aristocratic model. Sometimes she found herself caught in his front persona. However as much as the head boy himself would believe to have everyone wrapped around his little finger, she noticed that him and Professor Dumbledore's relationship was not exactly as smooth as it appeared to be if one paid enough attention. If she wasn't busy trying not to fail her classes she was observing people or she would be preoccupied with daydreaming, and of course either out late at night going on adventures after curfew. She had some serious bad habits that she needed to be rid of.

She groaned when her neck was forcefully pulled back again and she bit her lip as she eyed the dark ceiling. A deep voice whispered lowly in to her ear. Her skin prickled with goose bumps and she felt a shiver rising from the back of her spine to her neck. "It's a little late to be out and about after curfew Miss Rose," Tom Riddle said.

She almost peed herself.

Her heart was speeding in pace and she wasn't sure whether to lie about being lost or attempt to hex him. Although she had seen him duel and she was pretty sure that at one point he tried to kill one of his classmates but lied by saying it was an accident. The other student who she vaguely remembered to be Malfoy ended up in the medical room and he had a few weeks of recovery in the medical wing. She kind of felt sorry for him despite the fact he was an outright prick. But still nobody deserved that. The only top list of pricks would be Grindelwald and he was still waging war on the ministry.

There was one detail that stood out during the duel that changed her view of Riddle after that. The way his eyes narrowed, how the dark seemed to almost blacken them as if she was watching a slow recording of an apex predator zoom in on it's target before being ripped apart.

It was the kind of face that reminded her when she went home to visit her mothers kind. Which was the exact reason why she visited them sparingly with her mother by her side. Her mother was born between the union of her human father and mermaid mother. As you can imagine it did not end well. Shias grandmother was killed by the mer folk for her treachery in joining with a mortal and her grandfather then took her mother with heavy grief and sadness and raised her independently.

She also learnt that her mother and her grandfather were the most forgiving humans she had ever met, although they were wary when they took Shia to see her sea folk family. It was a long story but eventually things did get a little better.

When she visited her mothers sea folk relatives as the years went by the mer folk gradually accepted her mothers visits, but they took a strange obsession to Shia. Especially her hair, and her eyes. The mer folk had long black hair like silk and they marveled in curiosty as Shia let them close with their claws running through her hair as they shrilled and spoke in their tongue. "Your offspring would make a fair bait for mortals on land," an elder mermaid hissed to her mother. She stared uncomfortably long at Shias hair and she refrained from cringing away. Her scent was like rotten salty meat. "She can lure the fresh meat into our seas she would." They circled the rock she sat upon as her mother watched with her mouth pursed and her eyes worried. The meetings were always creepy in a way. Shias father though her mother forbid him to go along with them since he had a temper, and he sorely did not like sea folk. He would had no doubt casted unforgiveables if he would have came with them on their trips.

It unevered her as they stared with dark eyes and sharp teeth which was their true form. For their beauty to the prey which was mostly to human men was an illusion of mer magic. She watched them feed once, but it was when they were hunting big fish. Their faces terrified her the most. Their eyes although were akin to death and she had seen that same look on Tom Riddles face as he almost killed the Malfoy lad in class.

Well Fuck. She swallowed.

So much for having his routinely search memorized. He had caught her. The urge to sink in to the ground was immense. Although she should be glad it wasn't one of Grindelwalds people.

But this was still Tom Riddle and she felt a cold chill lick up her spine as she swallowed. Her breath shook as she inhaled. She never thought Riddle would be pulling her hair out in muggle fashion in the dark halls where no one would have the courage to walk through. A million false lies came up in her head as he waited for her response.

"Don't think of lying to me about taking a nice stroll when you clearly had time before curfew to be out and about." His grip on her hair tightened and tears welled in her eyes at the pain. What a terrible pain, she thought. So much for all that charisma and respectable manner he seemed to portray in public. Although she shouldn't really be surprised considering she was used to illusions and facades that was abundant in her sea folk family. Tom was the perfect front for Slytherin as he held all those traits in his blood, because here he was out pulling girls hair like some sort of muggle criminal in complete opposite of how he appeared to others. It was such a shame that he had the whole Hogwarts population fooled by his character that it made her ill. It also made him extremely dangerous. He wasn't in the sea devouring humans and anything food like; no he was on land walking with a beautiful face with deadly deadly intentions.

"Charming. I don't appreciate being labeled a muggle," his voice dropped.

She blanched and then took a sharp inhale when she realised he was in her head. "Sorry." Shia tried to elbow him with her other arm but she was tightly being squashed against the older boy that she could feel the planes of his front against her back. She didn't have time to blush as she spouted out her words, "Please get out of my head."

He tightened his grip again and she whimpered, ''You see Miss Rose, I have had the feeling these past days that a little badger was sneaking around in places she shouldn't be.' There was an intensity in his words that made her sweat. The meaning of his words held something deeper and more than just being caught for being out of after curfew. No because if it was then he wouldn't be manhandling her in the dark. Alarms raised in her head as she realised he must have been up to something for him to be hurting her.

He must have thought I was spying on him she thought. But what was he upto?

The aura of his magic was pulsating thick and suffocating, she had never felt such an intensity of such magic before. It was as if it was attempting to suck the light out of her one in to a black hole. She had never felt such a depressive feeling in her life before and one didn't have to experience any sort of dark magic to know one who had been meddling with it.

She had to come up with something fast and it might as well be the truth, "Please let go. I couldn't sleep. " She almost whimpered again. Her lashes were now wet.

There was silence until he shifted behind her. "So you hide out in the shadows exploring in the dark like a phantom?" He asked in a manner that he was doubting her. "I find it hard to believe that with access to sleeping droughts you choose to break the rules instead?" He leaned in closer to the side of her head as she squinted in the dark. She still hadn't removed her wand and the feeling of his one jabbed to her side was getting more uncomfortable with each second. It felt like it was digging deeper in to her side the longer they spoke.

Hopefully someone comes by and distracts him she thought.

"I know and I shouldn't have done it. Please let me go and I will go back to my room," She hoped he wouldn't hex her or anything. "Please don't deduct points from Hufflepuff as well." She breathed out, and please don't read my mind. She added in the last bit in her head.

There was pause and then he spoke lowly again, the rumbling of his broad chest against her back made her uncomfortable. "I advise you to remove your wand from my person then."

She hesitated and then added, "Please let go of my hair," She regarded to the full fist of her locks as her voice shook. "It really really hurts."

He shifted again, "After you remove the wand Miss Rose." He added in more firmly this time. She really didn't want to but for some reason she had to gain his trust in case he dragged her somewhere and tortured her.

She breathed out and then dropped her arm. She almost cried out in relief when he let go of her hair and her scalp had never felt so much mercy in her life. Tom Riddle also dropped his wand and then she slowly faced him. She had stepped back and by the twitch of his lips in the dark he noticed her fear. His magic was still suffocating and her palms were still sweating but she remained still, a little unsure of what to say about the situation.

"Thank you," She muttered. He raised an eyebrow in what she could imagine as surprise with his calm demeanor. Although she realised as well that she was wearing a thin and short night shift as he regarded her in a detached and cold manner from head to toe. She refused the urge to lash out and tell him to stop looking at her but she didn't.

"I will not see you again here Miss Rose," He voiced out after what felt like forever, as if he was deciding what to do with her. " Or in any parts of the school after curfew, just because you could not suffice your incapability to sleep with a simple sleeping drought potion." He tilted his head, "If I do see you next time Miss Rose I will not be so lenient."

She waited for him to say the amount of points he was deducing from Hufflepuff but surprisingly he gave her a look as if to say 'On your way now little girl' as he turned and headed back to where he came from. She almost forgot to breath when she placed her hand over her pounding heart. As she turned to head the other direction in a hurry, she couldn't help the feeling that Riddle was still watching her. As if he was watching her to make sure she wouldn't go elsewhere but her room. He was damn wrong if he thought she was going to go on more explorations. The last thing she needed was that dreadful feeling of Riddles magic around her again. As she continued walking she realised that there was a certain touch of suffocation in his magic that she didn't want to believe because it was so horrible to think about.

It was the touch of death.


End file.
